The screen then lit up once more, showing the words flashing on the screen.
5 YEARS AGO.
JAPAN. OKINAWA.
CAMP MCTUREOUS MARINE CORPS.
"What's that?!" Tivey exclaimed, a bit surprised by the words appearing.
"5 years ago?!" Anastasia widened her eyes, "is this…"
"Japan…This is Natsuki Subaru's homeland." Crusch reminded as she watched the screen in surprise.
"So this is Natsuki-kun's past…" the purple merchant princess held a hand on her scarf, eager to see more about the country her idol might be coming from.
"Subaru's…Past?" While she remained silent most of the time, Emilia finally spoke in a hushed tone when she heard her knight's origin is mentioned.
"5 years ago…W-wait, how old is big bro in these viewings?" Felt widened her eyes to the sudden revelation she made to herself, "it was never mentioned, right?"
"It's true…" Petra followed her thoughts, "Subaru-kun looks really similar to ours though."
"Of course not!" Rem replied in an outraged tone, "this Subaru is taller, more built on the level of his upper body, and has the beginning of facial hair on his cheeks and chin!"
Several people just turned their eyes to Rem in surprise and shock to the explanation she gave with such speed.
"How do you-"
"I took care of Subaru-kun's clothing and well-being as his personal caretaker," Rem proudly stated as she cut the blonde candidate's words, "I would recognize my Subaru in the middle of thousand versions of him."
"It's also certainly because she watched him sleep at night," Ricardo whispered to the purple-haired knight at his side, remembering the episode they watched called the memory of snow.
(Watching Him Die Again And Again chapter 8)
"Keep that to yourself, I have a feeling it would be dangerous if it slips out of your mouth," Julius noticed him in an equal silenced tone.
"What would be dangerous, Julius-sama?" Ram questioned with a cold stare.
"N-nothing" Both Ricardo and Julius stuttered in fear.
"I must admit that I did not see the subtle differences that appeared to be so easy for you, Rem-san." Crusch somewhat praised the maid.
"It would be unwelcome of me to not notice them, Crusch-sama. It is my duty to look after Subaru-kun after all." Rem replied in joy.
"I could have noticed too if I wasn't too focused on the events…" Petra pouted as she grabbed the arm of the boy seated next to her.
"So this is how it feels…" She thought to herself, "All of these girls were really so selfish to keep you for themselves all this time…"
"So none of them noticed…Mh." Priscilla widened her eyes in surprise at how simple-minded were the people under her.
"Everyone doesn't have your genius, princess." Al sighed, a bit disappointed about the boy's camp members who didn't realize the oblivious.
"Come on he's way more buff on screen you dumbasses…" He grunted under his helmet.
Within the said camp members, most of them were actually disappointed that they didn't notice the differences as Rem did. But truth be told, most of them were more focused and hooked by the different events that Subaru was facing to ever notice it.
The confusion provoked by such viewing to begin with was a lot to take in. Only does with keen eyes could have realized it right away.
"What kind of liege I am…" Emilia clenched her fists, disappointed in herself for not being more observant of her knight.
The screen started to light up again, showing a military base very much similar to the one they previously saw in the second viewing. However, this time, the area seemed way much more different.
The camera came closer to a line of people, young men, waiting their turn to pass in front of a desk, where an officer in uniform awaited with a paper, a list of names.
The screen focused on one of these men, coming closer, it was the black-haired boy they all knew well.
"Subaru?" Emilia was the first to whisper his name, seeing her knight in the row.
"This one looks closer to ours," Rem explained out loud.
"Mh…I really wonder what's the age gap here." Anastasia thought to herself.
He was wearing a green uniform and cap, along with a big bag that he carried on his shoulder.
"Name?" The officer asked.
"Natsuki Subaru." The boy answered with a disinterested tone.
"Wait…This is…!" Otto exclaimed as he turned around to meet the knights and old warriors.
"I believe it is, Otto-dono," Wilhelm spoke out, "it seems to show us how Subaru-dono entered the army of his world."
"That's a classic recruit presentation similar to ours," comparing the day he registered as a knight and the sight he was seeing, Reinhard mused, "the recruit present themselves and then move to their section's quarters as they wait for orders of commanding officers."
"These were our first days indeed." Julius smiled in nostalgia.
"So this is how Natsuki Subaru became a soldier…?" Crusch mused in a ushed tone, a slight feeling of excitement growing within her.
"Your interest seems to be picked here, Duchess." Noticing the said excitement, Anastasia couldn't help but point it out.
"Don't you think of this as fascinating?" Tapping her fingers on her arms, Crusch voiced her thoughts, "It is evidence that Natsuki Subaru's world is far more advanced than us in many ways. If I must watch these viewings about a world that is not mine, I shall take anything useful that I could take, and the gestion of an army is part of a ruler's duties."
Although remaining silent, Felix and Wilhelm faintly smiled in pride at their leader's ways. It was no doubt that Duchess Karsten was able to take advantage of every opportunity that was presented to her, this was a clear example.
"Or…Ya just wanna see more of Natsuki-kun's early days?" Anastasia laughed haughtily.
"Of course, I shall not deny that." Crusch confidently replied.
"Natsuki…?" The officer thought out loud, raising his eyes to the young man.
"Are you…Ken's son?" He continued with an amused smile.
Subaru nodded his head as he discretely rolled his eyes to the officer.
"I am."
"My! To think that we would have another one like him over here!" He laughed loudly as he signed up a paper. "Your father was really something!"
"Was he," Subaru replied, uninterested.
"For sure! We had some tough people, but Ken? Man, this one was something else. A real example!" He laughed as he seemed lost in his memories.
"I already expect great things from you kiddo!" He finished, handing Subaru a paper.
Behind the young man, several other recruits could be seen scoffing and glaring at him, others whispering to each other and narrowing their eyes to the black-haired boy.
Subaru extended his hand and took the paper, nodding to the officer.
"Thanks."
"Did you notice that?" With an uneasy tone and worried eyes, Felt nudged her knight's shoulder, "big bro's…"
"He was seemed really annoyed…" Reinhard replied to her, his voice showing worry as well.
"It seems like his superiors know about Subaru's father," Julius pondered with a hand on his chin, "could it be…That he is coming from a renowned family?"
"With a father known in the army, and regarding what that guy just said, I'd bet he is." Ricardo mused out loud, "and apparently little boss's father was one hell of a guy."
"His father…" Julius took a moment to think, his mind falling back to a year before when he faced Subaru inside of the royal hall, remembering the tumultuous interaction they had which lead to an event he still regretted to this day.
"You told me that day that we earned our rank thanks to our fathers…" Julius whispered, more to himself than anyone.
"The others behind him didn't seem very pleased with that interaction as well…I do not like this." Frederica sighed.
"They don't look like they would be up to any good," Ram commented, "I do not like this as well."
"Nee-sama?" Rem questioned her sister in worry, taking this opportunity to bring her hand closer to the Subaru next to her, and take it into hers.
"It does feel rather comforting…" Rem whispered, leaning a bit closer to the boy, "Mhmh…This is what Rem needed, after all…"
"Would you all stop squeezing my contractor like he is some kind of toy, I suppose?" Beatrice sighed in frustration.
As Subaru is seen walking away from the line, the screen focused one last time to the men behind him, seemingly upset at the young man.
"Alright, somethin's up!" Garfiel growled as he saw the expressions of the remaining men on the line.
"They clearly have some resent towards Subaru-kyun…" Felix thought out loud.
"But why?! He didn't do anything to them!" Mimi hissed in outrage.
"These men are jealous of the boy because he already holds more importance than them." Fanning herself as she saw right through these pitiful men's schemes, "how pathetic.."
"Is that it? Just because Subaru-kun is known?!" Rem too seemed outraged by this treatment, "they don't' even know him!"
'They don't need to go this far, sister," Ram sighed as she dangerously narrowed her eyes towards these men, "a dog frustrated of his size will bark to anything else slightly taller."
"This was…A pretty good way of explaining it," Al complimented, "basically since bro has already some sort of a reputation, these dudes feel inferior. So they immediately hate him."
"They will simply resent him for something he has no real power over, I suppose," Beatrice clicked her tongue in distaste," my contractor is not responsible for another one's actions."
"But…Now he has expectations he will have to meet…" Reinhard uttered, only for his lady to hear.
Felt immediately looked up to Reinhard as she comforted him as best as she could with a tap on his shoulder. Being the one who knew the sword saint best, she also knew most of his issues and pain.
And the weight of the expectations of the world he had to carry himself was the main thing that crushed his life every day…This is why if there was someone that was able to understand such pain.
It was definitely Reinhard Van Astrea.
"I simply hope that we will not share this same trait…Subaru…" He whispered to himself.
"Section Delta…" He murmured to himself as he walked in front of different barracks, finally stopping in front of that he recognized as the one he needed to enter.
Opening the door, he met with a group of people, all men, each doing an activity on their own. Some rested on their beds, others played a game of cards or checked their weapons.
Of course, when Subaru entered, all eyes turned towards him immediately, something the black-haired recruit couldn't care less, as he ignored everyone and directed towards his personal place without a word spoken.
"Hm…There is something odd here…" Emilia narrowed her eyes, "Subaru seems…very different."
"You mean in another way than physically?" Felt demanded, as she too noticed something off.
"Mhm…He is less…Cheerful." She voiced her thoughts, feeling a pain in her heart, "my Subaru would usually always smile and be happy to meet new people…This one just seems to resent everything."
"That's…True…He didn't even look at the others…" Petra whispered, clenching the arm of the boy, "this is not good…"
"Could it be that we are really facing a different Subaru?" Frederica mused, looking at the grey-haired merchant.
"I doubt it…But it is odd, I agree…" Otto sighed in worry.
"For now, let us keep watching." Crusch concluded for everyone in doubt, "The answer will certainly come at some point."
While not everyone knew Subaru as much as the members of the half-elf's camp's, they all knew him enough to remember him by his cheerful attitude, generally bringing a smile to anyone he would meet.
The positive vibes Subaru would constantly carry with him were one of his many qualities.
And this one…Looked like a total opposite.
"Oi! What's up with you?" Called out one of the men, trying to get his attention.
But Subaru didn't give him what he wanted, as he didn't turn his gaze and kept minding his own business, taking off his coat and checking his locker.
The man who called him frowned in confusion and outrage, glancing to his comrade who scoffed to see him getting ignored.
Clearly upset, a smile of malice slowly formed on his face as he got up from his bed and walked towards the new recruit as he wiped his hands nonchalantly as if getting ready to use them.
"Oh no…Oh no no no…!" Otto widened his eyes as he saw the bad intent in the man's eyes, thinking of the worst.
"Back off…!" Rem growled, grabbing her left chair handle with great force.
"Mh…It seems he brought this on himself." Priscilla sighed, disappointed.
When Subaru heard the man's footsteps getting closer and closer, he heaved a faint sigh of exhaustion…And boredom.
"Guess I can only blame myself for this one." He thought as he turned around to face the man.
"It seems you realized it," the crimson princess leaned a bit closer, "now let's see how you deal with this."
"Oh? Now you're looking at me?" He snorted with a sarcastic voice.
"Well since you decided to come towards me, do I have a choice?" Subaru answered with no apparent expression.
"Indeed you don't." Nodded the man, putting both hands behind his back in a haughty manner. "Now, let's start by the beginning again, should we?"
Subaru turned his eyes away from the man, trying to show how unwilling he was to continue this discussion.
"Listen…I don't mean to be a dick or whatever" He voiced loud enough for the others to hear. "But I'm not here to…Make myself some pals. I just want to be done with the time I have to spend here and go."
"What?" Crusch exclaimed with wide eyes," He doesn't want to be here?"
"That's surprising…But the way he said it is a bit…Unpleasant, I believe." Julius cleared his throat, pondering over his friend's choice of words, "You were never good for first interactions anyways."
"This doesn't sound good, Natsuki-kun," Anastasia sighed, "ya'll only create yarself more troubles."
Blunt with his words, Subaru managed to surprise his interlocutor who narrowed his eyes to him, quickly changing his attitude as he brought his face closer in an attempt to pressure him.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" He said in a low voice. "You think you can disrespect the flag like that?"
"What?"
"There it goes…!" Ricardo grunted, getting ready for a fight to come off.
"He doesn't seem to be able to avoid problems…" Wilhelm shook his head, "Perhaps doubting him being our Subaru-dono is useless."
"I agree with the old man," Garfiel grimaced dangerously to the screen, "there's only capn' to get involved with the bad guys and havin' to fight 'em!"
"Saying you don't even want to be here, yet you signed the fucking papers. You're disrespecting the fucking flag right now rookie." The man told him, pointing him with his finger as if he accused him or wanted to show this to everyone. "Do you even care? Do you have respect for it?"
Before answering, Subaru glanced at all the others in the room. He saw them all looking at him with contempt, waiting for him to answer.
"First it depends which flag you're talking about." His voice radiating his resentment, the black-haired man narrowed his eyes dangerously, "second, I don't give a damn either way. But if you're talking about yours Yankee, then it's worse."
While the general feeling of the theatre resented the man who tried to pick a fight with Subaru, most of them felt rather disappointed in his answers and the way he was handling things.
They expected a fight to go off, but Subaru answering the man's provocation just gave such a bad image of him, some couldn't help but shake their heads in frustration.
"Why don't you ever learn…?!" Julius grunted with a grimace on his face.
"This was unnecessary, Subaru-sama…" Frederica mused with a frown on her face.
"What do you mean?! This guy's clear goal was to humiliate capn'!" Garfiel retorqued to his sister.
"Maybe but Natsuki-san didn't have to answer in the same way! He should have tried to defuse the situation rather than answering the provocation!" Otto replied to Garfiel, still upset about Subaru's decision.
"You all think he should have just taken the threats and insults in?!" Felt yelled at them, showing how opposite her views were, "Big bro has no reason to do that!"
"The rat is right," the crimson princess announced from her seat, waving her fan elegantly, "the man clearly tried to publicly humiliate the boy in a way to assert some sort of dominance. Him listening to his pride and refusing to bow puts this dirt back in his place."
"Pride isn't worth a fight that could cost his health and wellbeing!" Petra shot back to Priscilla," Maybe this was the right decision in your eyes, but certainly not the wisest!"
His eyes widening in fury, the soldier immediately stepped forward and grabbed Subaru by the collar, only for this one to stay apathetic to it.
"No!"
"Subaru!"
"What you're going to do now? Come on Yankee, this is all I'm waiting for."
"What is he doing?! He's asking for the fight to happen?!" Rem exclaimed as she tried to calm her heartbeat.
"He's pushing this guy to hit him?!" Petra exclaimed in fear," why!? This doesn't make sense!"
"There has to be a reason behind…" Otto wondered as he gripped his chair handles, "I can't believe Natsuki-san would be stupid enough to be hit on purpose…!"
"Maybe because he knows it'll create more problems if he fights back?" Wilhelm voiced his thoughts, narrowing his eyes to the face Subaru was making on-screen.
He was self-assured. He knew what he was doing. This Subaru wasn't acting on impulse or without thinking first…He had something in mind.
"So you believe that…it would just make it worse if he fights back nya?" Felix pointed out for the old man, who nodded his head.
"It is unacceptable in any kind of army to have soldiers wishing to harm each other. If one decides that it is permitted to attack and ally, how trusted can he be when he faces an enemy?"
"So what happens when someone does that…?" Felt questioned, "he gets thrown out or something?"
"Yes. This kind of behavior doesn't hold any place within the ranks of soldiers, Felt-sama," Julius replied as he ran his hand through his hair, greatly disappointed by this soldier's mindset.
"I wonder what kind of selection the armies in this world holds, "Crusch shook her head, clenching her fists in worry for the boy, "there is no way this would have been allowed in the ranks of Lugunica."
"You damn…-"
"Alright, alright, let's stop this farce here." Another man intervened, putting his hand between Subaru and the soldier.
Most of those in the front row breathed out in relief at the sight of someone ending the conflict before it escalated too far
"Oh thank the dragon…" Otto sighed in relief with a hand on his chest, falling in his seat.
"Of course this would happen," Priscilla mused out loud, her eyes focused on Subaru rather than the man who intervened.
She wanted to see his doings, read his intentions…
"Thank you, whoever you are," Reinhard nodded in relief to the intervention.
He was taller than both Subaru and the soldier and was a well-built black man.
"The fuck you're doing Griggs?!" Shouted the soldier.
"I'm doing what I gotta do to avoid getting our asses kicked by a commanding officer or the damn drill sergeant dipshit, now get the fuck back!" He replied, adding enough power behind his words to make the soldier fall back with a growl.
"And you…" He now turned to Subaru, "I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but if you're coming in with that mentality you ain't going to last long."
"I do agree there's something off here…Why would someone engage himself in the army if it is to dislike it?" Tivey wondered, looking up to his mistress in confusion.
"I have to agree that Natsuki-kun doesn't make much sense here," the purple-haired queen said as she patted the head of the little demi-human, "I can't see any good reason to join a place you don't like."
"It is indeed strange…Even for someone like Barusu," Ram seriously thought about this, not understand why the black-haired boy would do something so stupid and illogic," No matter what you break my expectations more and more when it comes to reaching new heights of foolishness."
"Perhaps he was forced?" Crusch thought with a hand on her chin and a grimace over the idea, "obliged to join the military…A mandatory service?"
"Mandatory?" Petra repeated in confusion.
"In times of war or crisis, it is common for countries to apply a mandatory military service to its citizen so that anyone can join the fight," Wilhelm explained, remembering his own days in a war, "much of them were never fitted for this and left…"
"So it's possible that Subaru has been brought inside of this mess without even wanting it…?" Emilia whispered in heartbreak, "did…Did he have to live all of this because he had no other choice…?"
"It's…A possibility, Emilia-sama…" Ram silently bit her lip over the thought as well.
"Subaru-kun might be coming from a country in war…" Rem only held his arm tighter," poor Subaru-kun…"
"What do you think, Al?" Priscilla demanded, her eyes still on the screen.
"About the mandatory service stuff?" Al questioned.
"It is obvious by now that you have the same origin as the boy," Closing her fan, Priscilla turned to him with a demanding voice, "is the country he is coming from torn by war?"
"Well…If my memory serves Japan was involved in a world war once but…it was before bro was born." Aldebaran explained, managing to remember bits of a story about allies and axis forces.
"A world war?" Priscilla repeated, intrigued by this term.
"Yeah," Al sighed," one of the bloodiest wars the entire world we come from ever known."
Al cleared his throat a bit before scratching his helmet as he tried to remember these old age answers he had to search back in his memories.
"I'm sorry…Did you say 'world' war…? As in, the entire world in war?!" Ricardo exclaimed in shock, making everyone turn towards Aldebaran and Priscilla with wide eyes.
"What is the meaning of this?" Crusch demanded, her curiosity taking the edge of her.
"Basically…Think of it like that," Al leaned a bit closer as he found a way to explain, "one day, Vollachia gets sick of Lugunica and decides to declare war upon you. Obviously, Lugunica fights back, but at some point, Gusteko joins Vollachia's cause and they both decide to fight you so they can share the rewards, but then Karargi decides to join the kingdom with an alliance with you because it's in their interest as well."
Everyone listened to Al in awe and fear of such a possibility to ever happen in their worlds. Wilhelm and Roswaal to an extent still remembered how terrible was a civil war in Lugunica alone, having to go on an all-out war against both Vollachia and Gusteko would be nothing short but a nightmare to live for anyone deciding to go and fight.
"You have then two alliances, Vollachia and Gusteko followed by Lugunica and Kararagi, who fight each other until one alliance's win," Al concluded, "this is basically what happened something like…Uh…Well a long time ago in this world."
"So…The entire world's countries were at war against each other…?" Reinhard uttered in sheer fear of such an idea.
"Not necessarily all the countries pal, if that really happened we would have been in there for a ride to the end of the world," Al scoffed to the idea, "but rather the major and greatest ones."
"And what happened to the country of Subaru-kun?" Petra asked the helmeted man.
"Well, Japan was part of the Axis if I remembered correctly so…Yeah, they were the bad guys of the story," Al sighed, "they lost…Rather violently I'd add."
"Subaru's country issued a violent defeat?" Emilia squinted her eyes in confusion at these words, "you mean that there are soldiers out there…Even more competent and stronger than Subaru?"
"…They didn't lose in a conventional way lady," Al shook his head, "they got nuked."
"Nuked?" Julius repeated as he searched in his mind anything that could come in relation to this word, "what does this mean?"
Al sighed once more, as he raised his hand to point the red-haired Sword Saint with his finger.
"Imagine if your friend over here just takes his sword out and wipes out the entire country of vollachia," Al explained in a stern tone, "this is a nuke."
"…What?!" Emilia gasped in shock, her eyes wide at the thoughts of something akin to this happening to a country.
"This is disgusting!" Felt shouted, "war or not, doing something like that is too excessive! What about the innocents?!"
"They call those necessary losses or collateral damages kid," Al leaned back in his seat, "such is the cost of war."
"Even Vollachia wouldn't go to such lengths…" Julius growled in sheer disgust, "this is madness…"
Priscilla only narrowed her eyes to the purple-haired knight, before snorting because of how ironic she thought these words were.
"But…Since they lost, the war ended, right?" Rem questioned the helmeted man.
"As I said, it happened a long time before Bro and I were even born, I doubt he's about to go at war against anyone at the moment, especially since the enemies in question were the United States." Al explained, "the screen told us he was in a marine camp. Marines are from the United States."
"So he is becoming a soldier…In one of his ex-enemies bases?" Crusch mused out loud, thinking of how confusing Subaru's situation was.
"Well after they lost the war, time was to put on terms and peace Duchess," Al replied, "I believe one of these terms was for the United States to have a part of their army stationing here."
"So they can keep an eye on them…" Ram narrowed her eyes, "and hold a possible strategical territory if the need is to intervene near this country."
"You got it, Ram," Al concluded.
Both Ram and Rem glanced at the helmeted one for an instant when they heard him pronounce the pink-haired girl's name. His tone seemed a bit familiar.
For someone from the Priscilla camp, it was strange. Not that Ram even cared, but still an odd behavior.
"Which part of what I said earlier about doing my time and leaving did you not get?" Turning towards his locker with a scoff, Subaru continued to mind his own business.
"I gotta say I'm rather a part of the chill dudes around here, but somehow, looks like you managed to get on my nerves too." Griggs laughed, shaking his head, "What the fuck you're doing here? I don't remember the army becoming a place for the depressed Japs of the country."
"Me neither." Ram snorted.
"Sister! Please avoid taking part in Subaru-kun's berating at the moment!" Rem pleaded, pouting over her big sister.
"You really can't help it can you? Even when it's possibly another Subaru…" Emilia shook her head, a small smile on her lips.
"Barusu will always remain Barusu," Ram shrugged, "holding that name is enough for me to fall into my habits."
"Preposterous, in fact!" Beatrice answered.
"That's all you got in stock? Looks like you'll have to try harder 'Griggs'."
"Eh, at least you said my name instead of 'Yankee' like my buddy over here. Though, now that I think about it, I'm wondering if the problem is not about the nationality."
Hearing the last part seemingly managed to get Subaru's attention, as he turned around with a questionable gaze towards his interlocutor.
The camera changed to show a more focused point with both Subaru and Griggs being face to face.
"Nationality? What did he mean?" Felt looked up to her knight, "Or is it because…"
"Because what, Felt-sama?" Reinhard repeated, curious as to what she meant.
"Big bro is…Well, this guy and big bro they…They are not the same." Felt tried to explain without sounding rude, remembering that one of those she cherished the most in her life was in the same situation as this Griggs person.
"Are you speaking about the color of his skin?" Anastasia giggled with a hand before her mouth.
"I mean this is delicate ya know!" Felt replied, embarrassed.
"Ah well, I don't believe it's any of that," Anastasia shook her head, "I would more believe it to be associated to what the one-armed fella explained us earlier."
"The two countries that were previously enemies…?" Felt mused, turning back to the screen.
"Are you from those guys who think the US shouldn't be around here?" Griggs said as he scouted a bit closer to him to speak in a low voice, "Bud, you should understand at this point that we're just following orders."
Subaru simply narrowed his eyes.
"See? I was right!" Anastasia clapped her hands.
"Well thought, my lady." Julius praised.
"Collecting information has always been my forte, have to be observant and listen whenever you hear something valuable." She explained as she rubbed her scarf in satisfaction of having it right.
"And you lost the war. I'm sorry bro but rules are rules, there's always a victor and loser, and you guys lost. Shouldn't have attacked the boat-"
"You think I can't see the shit you're trying to pull?" Subaru cut him in a stern tone.
"…"
"You want to get a reaction from me. Testing the terrain to see how you'll handle an approach, aren't you Griggs? But as I said before, I don't give a damn. About you, about your damn country, and much less mine. I'm leaving the politics to those who are competent to deal with them." Subaru concluded, leaving Griggs speechless.
"Oh, this was harsh…" Otto tried to muffle his uneasy laugh, "this poor man can't even answer."
"Splendid…He saw right through this man's attention and laid it out before him to see, leaving his opponent speechless…" Priscilla mused with a pleased smile. She seemed oddly satisfied with the boy's short performance.
"Wait, did he just say that he didn't care about his country?" Mimi said in shock, scratching the back of her head, "big boss bro makes no sense!"
"I think it was more in a way to say that…Well, the results of this war was not for him to judge?" Tivey tried to explain.
"Or…He really just doesn't give a shit." Felt shrugged off with a nod, "I can understand him to be honest."
"So, why are you here then?" Griggs questioned one last time.
"The question of the day…" Felix whispered with a nonplussed expression, a bit annoyed by Subaru's weird antics.
"Yeah, would be time to know about that!" Ricardo exclaimed with an upset tone.
Crusch, Wilhelm, Emilia, Otto, and Garfiel all leaned closer to properly hear Subaru's reason…Hoping it would be something capable to explain properly his new behavior, hoping it would give answers about who this Subaru was compared to theirs.
They just hoped for answers.
The camera changed to the inside of the locker, as Subaru closed with the sound of the metallic door echoing inside the theatre.
"Hell if I know."
"OH COME ON!" Al and Ricardo shouted.
"Well, that didn't give any answers…" Petra pouted, disappointed to hear Subaru's answer…but yet it didn't feel right.
"The way he said it…The expression he held…" Julius frowned, even more, having a hard time piercing through the mind of the black-haired man on the screen, "what is the meaning of all of this, Subaru?"
"This doesn't make any sense…" Otto fell back in his chair in confusion, holding both his hands on his face, "we aren't going anywhere…"